Evaluation of Bacterial Endophytes of Tomato Plant for Bio-control and Growth Promoting Potential

The study was conducted at Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Raipur, during 2020-2023 with the objective to evaluate endophytic bacteria of tomato plants. A total of 24 endophytic bacterial isolates (ESR1, EBR2, EAR4 ERR5, EAS12 EJS11 ERS13, ESL17, EBL18, ERL21, and EML24) obtained from roots (R), fresh leaf (L) and stems (S) of tomato plants collected from several locations i.e., Surajpur (S), Balrampur (B), Jashpur (J), Ambikapur (A), Raipur college campus (R), Pirda (P), Chhokranala (C) and Mungeli (M). Significant quantity of IAA produced by these isolates in-vitro after 24 hours of incubation with added precursor Tryptophan ranging from 8.80 μg ml-1 to 18.00μg ml-1 being significantly maximum in EAR4 followed by ERR5, EAS12. Siderophore test was positive in EBR2, ERR5 and EJS11. Using the in vitro dual culture technique, seven isolates were found to have antagonistic activity against Fusarium oxysporum out of which EJS11, and EAS12 isolates showed highest inhibition percentage of 67.5 and 65.11 respectively. Plant infection studies of endophytic bacteria in tomato revealed that a significant increased shoot dry weight (60%) was obtained with ESL17 followed by ESR1 (58.08%) and EJS11 (56.22%). Shoot N content was found maximum (3.12%) with ESR1 followed by EML24 and EAS12. EAS12 has shown highest germination% (97.5) and seedling vigour index (2774) was maximum in EJS11 followed by EAS12. Considering these, promising isolates were ESR1, EBR2, EAR4, ERR5, EJS11, EAS12 and EML24. The endophytic bacteria from tomato have better potential; may be applied for growth promoter, also may be used as commercial fungicides looking towards economic and environmental impacts.